Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Infection01:20

Infection

11.6K
When a pathogen enters the body and reproduces, it can cause an infection, damage body cells, and cause illness symptoms that eventually lead to disease. Therefore, its prevention requires breaking the chain of infection.
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
11.6K
Urinary Tract Infection II: Pathophysiology01:25

Urinary Tract Infection II: Pathophysiology

524
The pathophysiology of urinary tract infections (UTIs) encompasses several progressive stages, beginning with bacterial colonization and culminating in potential systemic complications if untreated. UTIs are primarily initiated by bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, which often originate from the gastrointestinal tract and migrate to the urinary system through the periurethral area. This migration can occur via several routes, including improper hygiene practices, sexual activity, or...
524
Cystic Fibrosis: Pathogenesis01:23

Cystic Fibrosis: Pathogenesis

676
Cystic fibrosis (CF), an autosomal recessive disorder, significantly affects the function of exocrine glands. This genetically inherited disease is characterized by the production of thick and sticky mucus, which can severely affect various organs and systems in the body.
CF is primarily caused by a genetic mutation in a chromosome 7 gene coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. The most common gene mutation leading to CF is the ΔF508 mutation,...
676
Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology01:29

Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology

2.5K
The pathophysiology of pneumonia involves the following steps:
2.5K
Stages of Infection01:26

Stages of Infection

64.7K
Stages of infection describe what happens to a susceptible host once a pathogen invades the human body. The stages of infection are incubation, prodromal, illness, stage of decline, and convalescence. The incubation stage is the period from exposure to a pathogen until symptoms start. The infected person is unaware of impending illness as the pathogens grow and multiply within the body. The duration may vary depending on the type of infection. The incubation period of measles averages ten to...
64.7K
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

2.6K
The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
2.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Connexin 50 mediates disease-relevant alpha-synuclein oligomer propagation and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative disease.

iScience·2026
Same author

Early Amyloid Formation and Neuroinflammatory Response in a Bigenic Mouse Model Expressing Human α-Synuclein and Aβ.

Parkinson's disease·2026
Same author

Graft survival after liver transplantation using portable normothermic machine perfusion at a US center.

Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society·2026
Same author

Cell cycle pathway alterations predict outcomes post-liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Frontiers in transplantation·2026
Same author

Correction: The formation of tau pore-like structures is prevalent and cell specific: possible implications for the disease phenotypes.

Acta neuropathologica communications·2026
Same author

All the Way: A Decade of SIRT1 in Breast Cancer.

Biomedicines·2026
Same journal

Breaking barriers: Enhancing access to dementia clinical trials in the United Kingdom-Insights from the Scientific Advisory Board of the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals Programme.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2026
Same journal

Unveiling the procoagulant state in Alzheimer's disease: A novel PET imaging strategy.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2026
Same journal

Estimated labor market outcomes of people progressing from preclinical to early-stage Alzheimer's disease in the United States.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2026
Same journal

Amyloid exacerbates tau and alpha-synuclein pathologies, behavioral impairments, and neuroinflammation in a mixed dementia model.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2026
Same journal

Multimorbidity burden and patterns associated with DeepBrainNet-derived brain-age gap in dementia-free older adults: A community-based study.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2026
Same journal

Reply to "Shifting the emphasis of brain health literacy from individuals to systems to reduce inequalities".

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 7, 2026

Mouse Footpad Inoculation Model to Study Viral-Induced Neuroinflammatory Responses
09:07

Mouse Footpad Inoculation Model to Study Viral-Induced Neuroinflammatory Responses

Published on: June 14, 2020

11.5K

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Nicha Puangmalai1, Urmi Sengupta1, Nemil Bhatt2

  • 1Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.

Alzheimer'S & Dementia : the Journal of the Alzheimer'S Association
|December 24, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Connexin-50 (Cx50) facilitates the spread of alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's. Reducing Cx50 lowers α-Syn pathology and modulates astrocyte activity, offering therapeutic insights.

More Related Videos

A Precise Pathogen Delivery and Recovery System for Murine Models of Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia
13:45

A Precise Pathogen Delivery and Recovery System for Murine Models of Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia

Published on: September 21, 2019

6.0K
Using a Bacterial Pathogen to Probe for Cellular and Organismic-level Host Responses
08:38

Using a Bacterial Pathogen to Probe for Cellular and Organismic-level Host Responses

Published on: February 22, 2019

6.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 7, 2026

Mouse Footpad Inoculation Model to Study Viral-Induced Neuroinflammatory Responses
09:07

Mouse Footpad Inoculation Model to Study Viral-Induced Neuroinflammatory Responses

Published on: June 14, 2020

11.5K
A Precise Pathogen Delivery and Recovery System for Murine Models of Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia
13:45

A Precise Pathogen Delivery and Recovery System for Murine Models of Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia

Published on: September 21, 2019

6.0K
Using a Bacterial Pathogen to Probe for Cellular and Organismic-level Host Responses
08:38

Using a Bacterial Pathogen to Probe for Cellular and Organismic-level Host Responses

Published on: February 22, 2019

6.3K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Connexins (gap junction proteins) are involved in intercellular communication during neurodegeneration.
  • Synucleinopathies, characterized by α-synuclein (α-Syn) aggregates, include Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).
  • The role of connexins in the pathological spread of α-Syn remains largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interaction between connexin-50 (Cx50) and α-Syn aggregates in human synucleinopathy brains and preclinical models.
  • To elucidate the role of Cx50 in the cellular uptake and spread of α-Syn.
  • To determine the impact of Cx50 on astrocyte activity and neuroinflammation.

Main Methods:

  • Immunohistochemistry to detect Cx50 and α-Syn aggregates in human brain samples and mouse models.
  • Pharmacological inhibition and genetic manipulation of Cx50 in cell culture and primary co-cultures.
  • Live-cell imaging to track α-Syn aggregate uptake and assess astrocyte activity via cytokine analysis.

Main Results:

  • Cx50 directly interacts with α-Syn aggregates in human synucleinopathies (AD, DLB, PD) and α-Syn mouse models.
  • α-Syn aggregates preferentially enter cells expressing Cx50, with uptake reduced by Cx50 inhibition or downregulation.
  • Downregulation of Cx50 decreased α-Syn aggregate burden and modulated astrocyte pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine profiles.

Conclusions:

  • Cx50 plays a critical role in mediating the interaction between α-Syn aggregates and neurons, influencing astrocyte activity.
  • This study highlights Cx50 as a potential mediator of pathogenic α-Syn spread in synucleinopathies.
  • Targeting Cx50 may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for synucleinopathies.